Sweethearts (2024): Review and Summary
While much of what is to be expected is given with “Sweethearts,” at least the gay character, who feels obligatory/formulaic for films like this, is given a much better storyline than expected.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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| Film Length | 1 Hour 37 Minutes |
| Release Date | November 28, 2024 |
| Advisory Rating | Rated R |
| Initially Available On/Via | Max |
| Genre(s) | Comedy, Romance, Young Adult |
| Distributor | HBO/Max |
| Director | Jordan Weiss |
| Writer | Dan Brier, Jordan Weiss |
| Character Name | Actor |
| Jamie | Kiernan Shipka |
| Ben | Nico Hiraga |
| Simon | Charlie Hall |
| Claire | Ava DeMary |
| Palmer | Caleb Hearon |
Plot Summary
Jamie and Ben have been best friends since 8th grade and are inseparable. In fact, the only people who may have anything as close as their relationships with them are their respective partners. Jamie has Simon, an athlete who somehow got into Harvard despite lacking the expected academics, and Ben has Claire, who is dramatic and still in high school.
Because three out of four are in college, and Jamie and Ben go to the same school, while everyone else is miles away, they generally only have each other and classes. But as trying to maintain long-distance relationships becomes difficult, both decide to break up with their partners over Thanksgiving and rely heavily on one another for support to get through it.
All the while, the third wheel of their friendship, Palmer, is also returning home to Cranford, Ohio, ready to come out as gay – something most people have long suspected him to be.
Character Descriptions
Jamie
Jamie is a point-blank type of girl dealing with trauma from the last female friend she had, who is Ben’s best friend.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Totally Killer.”
Ben
Ben is Jamie’s best friend. He lacks boundaries, which leads to him often being used by people. Also, it seems his fear of confrontation is keeping a major secret from Jamie.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between.”
Simon
Simon is Jamie’s boyfriend who goes to Harvard, is a jock, and is as ignorant as he is cute.
- The actor is also known for their role in ” Single Drunk Female.”
Claire
Claire is Ben’s girlfriend who, once Palmer graduated, became the most visible person regarding any school performance.
Palmer
Palmer is Jamie and Ben’s friend, the third wheel of their relationship. He spent most of high school as a theater kid but wasn’t out and proud of his sexuality. However, after spending some time in Europe, he plans to come out in grand fashion and then go back to Paris to try to live the life he expected would make him happy instead of staying in a small town.
Other Noteworthy Information
Where To Watch This:- Movie Contains: Cursing, Suggestive Language, Nudity, Sexual Situations (Implied), Drinking, Smoking
- The distributor is also known for “The Idol: Season 1.”
- The director is also known for “Dollface.”
Review
Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive) | 75/100
Audience
“Sweethearts” is generally aimed at people who like young adult drama, but I think the real selling point could be for queer people who relate to Palmer’s journey, from wanting to come out on your terms to questioning what is life supposed to look like after you come out and is joy only found in a big city?
Highlights
Palmer Stole The Show
Jamie and Ben’s story is something we often see and isn’t all that special. Palmer’s story, on the other hand, doesn’t get the same amount of attention. From the desire to go from being assumed gay to coming out on your own terms to following the stereotypes that the only place you can be gay and happy is in a major city, Palmer has an arc I feel is under-tapped.
This especially feels true as we see him go from the third wheel in Jamie and Ben’s friendship, trying to help them break up with their partners, to him finding a gay community in Ohio and learning he doesn’t need to go far from home to feel like he has found his people.
Palmer’s story is a welcomed surprise in this movie, and while I’m not asking for a spin-off, I wouldn’t mind a short to get an update regarding what’s going on in Palmer’s life.
Low Points
The Struggle To Understand The Appeal of Simon and Claire Beyond Physical Attraction
Jamie and Ben don’t give you an idea of why they are with Simon and Claire beyond them being hot. Jamie doesn’t seem heavily into sports, and while she isn’t the most academic girl out there, she seems more intelligent than Simon, and she has a snark that doesn’t seem to lead to banter when it comes to Simon.
Now, you could submit what she doesn’t get from her relationship with Simon, maybe she gets from Ben, hence how that relationship survived. But I wouldn’t say that’s the case, for the same issue exists when it comes to Ben and Claire. He has been with her almost 3 years, and it is hard to not ask why?
Ben is introverted and a pushover, and Claire is an extrovert who seems like someone Ben wouldn’t approach and would operate in a very different world from him. So, never mind the attraction, there is the question of how they ended up together and if Ben being a pushover and not setting boundaries was the basis of why Claire stuck by him. I get Ben supporting Palmer likely led to an introduction, but how that evolved into a relationship is hard to say. Unless, with the possibility of Ben being her first, and seemingly down to roleplay and more, that is what bonded them?
Either way, nothing about Simon and Claire is made for you to care about how they would feel or even hope they could have a real conversation with their partners about their respective relationships to keep it going.
On The Fence
The Will They Or Won’t They Of Jamie and Ben
Because Jamie and Ben are so close and things are going so bad with their current partners, the idea does come up that maybe they are meant for each other. This feels cliché. It would make sense since there is enough chemistry to believe the two characters could be together, but cliché nonetheless.
Luckily, by the time that idea is explored, not much time is invested, and the result is satisfying.
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